Paver tile attachment system

ABSTRACT

A secured paver tile system comprises one or more paver tiles, one or more locking plates or pins, one or more pedestals for placement under the paver tiles and a screw or bolt. The paver tiles have one or more cavities adapted to receive the locking plate or pin. The locking plate or pin has an aperture adapted to receive the screw or bolt. The pedestal is adapted to receive said screw or bolt. The locking plate or pin may be a pin or a plate having 2 or more arms. The arms may optionally have secondary apertures to augment the holding capacity of the system. A method of securing paver tiles in a manner that satisfies high wind requirements of building codes includes inserting said one or more locking plates or pins in said at least one cavity, inserting said bolt or screw in the one or more locking plates or pins, and inserting said bolt or screw into said pedestal. The cavities may be additionally filled with an adhesive such as thin set mortar for example.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of pending U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/840,019 filed on Apr. 29, 2019.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a system for installing and securing terrazzo or stone pavers, or architectural pavers of a similar density, in a wind resistant manner. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for installing and securing such pavers in a manner where the portion that secures the pavers is hidden from view.

The invention concerns a system for securing tiles such as terrazzo tiles to roofs and/or decks to satisfy high wind resistance requirements of building codes. Despite their relatively greater weight in comparison to tiles made of wood or composite materials, architectural pavers typically used on roofs or pool decks and the like must still meet building code requirements relating to exposure to high winds, such as those that may be encountered during hurricanes. As shown in FIG. 1, prior paver systems utilize a locking plate or cap placed over the pavers and located at the corner where four pavers or blocks meet. The securing plate is attached, as by a screw for example, to a pedestal, located beneath the paver. The securing plate holds the tiles or pavers in place by pressure on the corners of the pavers. In some designs, the pavers may contain an inset portion at the corners to allow space for the securing plate and to provide a flat surface when installed. However, the locking caps are still visible and may be composed of a different material than the paver stone, which can be subject to different resistance to weathering and/or color change. The use of a securing plate at the corners of the paver stone can also cause stresses to be applied only to a small area of the paver stone, potentially causing failure of the securing plate or the paver stone itself. This is particularly true where an inset portion is provided at the corners of the pavers to provide a flat surface when finished, as this may weaken the corner in comparison to the remainder of the tile.

Therefore, there is a need for an alternative system for securing paver tiles or stones to withstand high wind conditions and satisfy building codes for high wind applications while maintaining a pleasing appearance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is, therefore, an aspect of the present invention to provide an alternative system for securing terrazzo or similar pavers stones or tiles to a substrate.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a paver securing system which does not rely solely on a securing mechanism that holds tiles in place from pressure from above the tile.

It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide a paver securing system that utilizes a securing member that is obscured from view.

It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a paver securing system that utilizes a securing member that is inserted into the interior of the paver stone or similar material.

In general, the present invention provides a paver or tile securing system that utilizes a terrazzo or similar tile containing a notch or groove at the corners of the tile. A locking pin or plate is inserted into the tile and optionally neighboring tiles to hold the tiles in place. The locking pin or plate has an aperture through which a bolt or screw or the like may be inserted to secure the locking plate to a standard pedestal located beneath the tile. The resulting appearance allows the end of the bolt or screw to be obscured within the joint between pavers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a paver system according to the prior art;

FIG. 2A is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the invention, showing the cavities in phantom lines;

FIG. 2B is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the invention, showing the cavities in phantom lines;

FIG. 3A is a side cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3B is a side cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention, additionally showing the presence of a top decorative stone layer;

FIG. 4A is side elevational view of the locking pin of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4B is top elevational view of the locking pin of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the locking plate of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6A is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6B is a side elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7A is a top elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the invention with a cap removed;

FIG. 7B is a top elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the invention with a cap partially in place;

FIG. 8A is a top elevational view of the first embodiment of the invention during assembly;

FIG. 8B is a top elevational view of the first embodiment of the invention during a later stage of assembly than shown in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9A is a top elevational view of the locking plate or pin of a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9B is a top elevational view of the locking plate or pin of the fifth embodiment of the invention inserted into a cavity of a paver;

FIG. 9C is a side elevational view of four unassembled locking plates or pins of the fifth embodiment in isolation;

FIG. 9D is a side elevational view of four locking plates or pins of the fifth embodiment arranged as in an assembled configuration, in isolation and without pavers shown;

FIG. 10A is a top elevational view of the locking plate or pin of a sixth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10B is a diagrammatic representation of the sixth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a system for installing and securing terrazzo or stone pavers, or architectural pavers of a similar density, in a wind resistant manner. The installation system allows such pavers to be installed in a manner where the portion that secures the pavers is hidden from view. The invention will be better understood by reference to the following examples which are included for the purpose of illustration and not limitation. The claims will serve to define the inventions. It should be understood that various aspects of the different embodiments provided below may be interchanged between embodiments unless indicated otherwise or unless these aspects are incompatible with other embodiments.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 2A-2B and 3A-3B, a paver tile attachment system 10 that includes one or more paver tiles 12. Paver tiles are typically rectangular in shape, but other shapes may also be used. Paver tiles 12 contain one or more cavities 14 in the interior of paver 10. As provided below, the dimensions of cavity 14 may vary according to the particular example of the claimed invention in use. System 10 also includes one or more locking pins or plates 16 adapted to be inserted into cavities 14.

In one embodiment, locking pin 16 may have one extension or arm, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In such an instance, cavity 14 is a single bore in the interior of the paver as in FIG. 2A. Locking pin 16 has a first or proximal end 18 and a second or distal end 20. A hold-down portion 28 is attached to proximal end 18. An aperture 22, located in hold-down portion 28, is adapted to receive a screw or bolt 23, as provided in more detail below. A surface of hold down portion 28 may be flush with a surface of proximal end 18, or it may be offset from a surface of proximal end 18, to allow for locking pins 16 to be secured by a single screw or bolt 23, as provided in more detail below. Screw or bolt 23 may be fixed to a pedestal, as known in the art.

Locking pin 16 may have a reduced diameter or other dimension at second or distal end 20 in comparison to the proximal end 18, to accommodate a greater amount of adhesive, such as thin set mortar for example, in cavity 14 as also provided in more detail below. In one particular example, locking pin 16 may be approximately 3 inches long, with hold-down portion 28 being a disk-shaped extension about ½ inch in diameter and ⅛ inch thick, first or proximal end 18 being about 1½ inches long and about ½ inch in diameter, and second or distal end 20 being about 1 inch long and about ¼ inch in diameter. Locking pin 16 is not limited to such dimensions however. Other lengths and thicknesses of the various components are also envisioned, such as overall lengths greater or less than 3 inches and thicknesses greater or less than ⅛ inch, for example. Distal end 20 may also have some dimension reduced in comparison to proximal end 18. For example, distal end 20 might be semicylindrical in shape, while proximal end 18 may be cylindrical. In further example, distal end 20 might have a reduced circumference in comparison to proximal end 18. Locking pin 16 may also have a rough or irregular surface to augment attachment by thin set mortar or other adhesive material, as provided in further detail below.

In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, locking pin or plate 16 may be generally flat and have a plurality of arms forming an “L” shape or other more complex shapes. In the embodiment shown, locking plate 16 has first arm 24 and second arm 26 joining together at approximately a 90-degree angle. On the outside corner of the joint between first arm 24 and second arm 26 is hold-down portion 28. Hold-down portion 28 is disk-shaped and contains aperture 22. Aperture 22 is adapted to receive a screw or bolt 24. A surface of hold down portion 28 may be flush with a surface of first arm 24 and/or second arm 26, or it may be offset from a surface of first arm 24 and/or second arm 26, to allow for adjoining locking pins 16 to be secured by a single screw or bolt 23. Hold-down portion 28 is shown as being generally circular in shape, but other shapes may be utilized. In this embodiment, paver tile 12 has cavities 14 in the form of slots beginning at one or more corners of paver tile 12 and running along each side of paver tile 12 for a sufficient distance and of a sufficient depth and width, such that first and second arms 24, 26 of plate 16 may be partially or fully inserted (see FIG. 2B). At least one of first arm 24 and second arm 26 may additionally have one or more secondary apertures 30. In use, secondary apertures 30 allow a construction adhesive or cementitious material, such as thin set mortar or the like, to penetrate through locking plate 16 and provide additional strength to the bond holding locking plate 16 in place. In one particular embodiment, first arm 24 and second arm 26 are approximately 3 inches long and ½-⅝ inches wide. Hold-down portion 28 may be about ½ inch in diameter and may provide an aperture 22 that is 3/16 inch in diameter. Locking plate 16 may be generally flat and about ⅛ inches thick. Other lengths and thicknesses of the various components are also envisioned, such as overall lengths or first arm 24 and/or second arm 26 greater or less than 3 inches and thicknesses greater or less than ⅛ inch, for example.

In a further embodiment, shown in FIG. 6, locking plate 16 may be cross shaped, having first 24, second 26, third 32 and fourth 34 arms connected at approximately 90-degree angles to each neighboring arm. Hold-down portion 28 is located centrally to each of arms 24, 26, 32, 34 and having an aperture 22, adapted to receive a screw or bolt 24. Similar to the example shown in FIG. 5, the example shown in FIG. 6A may have a paver tile 12 having cavities 14 in the form of slots beginning at one or more corners of paver tile 12 and running along each side of paver tile 12 for a sufficient distance and of a sufficient width, such that first arm 24, second arm 26, third arm 32 and fourth arm 34 of plate 16 may be inserted. In one particular embodiment, each of first arm 24, second arm 26, third arm 32 and fourth arm 34 may be approximately 3 inches long and about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Other dimensions of these components are also envisioned.

Still further geometries of locking pin or plate 16 are also envisioned, such as a locking plate having three arms, being intermediate between the examples having two and four arms (FIG. 6B). Such an embodiment may be particularly useful along a side edge of a paver installation. As in previously described examples, mortar or similar material may be used to fix locking pin or plate 16 in place within cavity 14.

In still another embodiment, locking plate 16 may be circular in shape, with an aperture 22 located at the center of plate 16, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Aperture 22 is adapted to receive screw or bolt 23, which is then attached to pedestal 36. Paver tile 12 has a cavity 14 which penetrates about half the thickness of paver tile 12 and which is open from above. Cavity 14 accommodates round locking plate 16. Cap 38 may be adapted to cover locking plate 16 in cavity 14. Mortar or other similar adhesive or cementitious material may again be used to fix locking pin or plate 16 in place within cavity 14, and optionally, to lock cap 38 in place in cavity 14.

Locking plate or pin 16 may also combine elements of different embodiments. In one example, shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, locking plate or pin 16 has first arm 24 and second arm 26 joining together at approximately a 90-degree angle, as previously shown in FIG. 5. On the outside corner of the joint between first arm 24 and second arm 26 is hold-down portion 28. Hold-down portion 28 contains aperture 22. Aperture 22 is adapted to receive a screw or bolt 24. A surface of hold down portion 28 may be flush with a surface of first arm 24 and/or second arm 26, or it may be offset from a surface of first arm 24 and/or second arm 26, to allow for adjoining locking pins 16 to be secured by a single screw or bolt 23, to allow for adjoining locking plate or pins 16 to be secured by a single screw or bolt 23, as provided in more detail below.

In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 however, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B has a locking plate or pin 16 that additionally comprises a worm 27 located at approximately a 45-degree angle between each of first arm 24 and second arm 26. As in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, first and second arms (24, 26) of the embodiment of FIGS. 9A and 9B are configured to engage cavities 14 in paver tile 12 in the form of slots beginning at one or more corners of paver tile 12 and running along each side of paver tile 12 for a sufficient distance and of a sufficient depth and width, such that first and second arms 24, 26 of plate 16 may be partially or fully inserted. Worm 27 is configured to engage a cavity similar to the one shown in FIG. 2A such that cavity 14 in this embodiment may be considered to be a combination of cavities 14 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

In yet another embodiment, shown in FIG. 10, locking plate or pin 16 takes the form of a long, single arm 24 but with hold-down portion 28 located at approximately the midpoint of the longest dimension of arm 24, rather than at one end as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Hold-down portion 28 again contains aperture 22, adapted to engage screw or bolt 23. Arm 24 is again configured to engage a cavity 14 in the form of a slot in the side of paver 12. It is envisioned that this embodiment would be used most often in securing the side of an elongated paver, such as a rectangular one as shown in FIG. 10B, rather than a square paver, with other embodiments of locking plate or pin 16 being used in the corners of paver 12.

The use of the present invention may be described with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A, 3A, 3B, 8A and 8B. Locking pin 16 may be inserted in cavity 14 and screw or bolt 23 is inserted in aperture 22 in hold down portion 28. Thin set mortar or other similar adhesive (not shown) may fill any gaps between the walls of cavity 14 and locking pin 16. Screw 23 is also inserted into aperture 22 of locking pin 16′ similarly inserted into cavity 14′ of a neighboring paver 12′. Screw 23 is then secured in pedestal 36. Thin set mortar may then be used to cover screw 23 and fill any gaps between pavers 12 and 12′.

Similarly, for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2B and 5, locking plate 16 is inserted in cavity 14, which in this embodiment is a slot in the sides of paver tile 12. Thin set mortar or other similar adhesive (not shown) may fill any gaps between the walls of cavities 14 and locking pin 16, and if present, any secondary apertures 30 in first 24 and second 26 arms of plate 16. Screw 23 is inserted into aperture 22 of locking plate 16 and then into a pedestal (not shown in FIGS. 2B and 5). Screw 23 may also be inserted into aperture 22 of a locking plate 16 similarly secured in cavity 14 of a neighboring paver tile.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 would be similarly installed by inserting arms 24, 26, 32, 34 into cavities 14 and securing them with thin set mortar or similar adhesive or cementitious material. In this embodiment however, a single plate 16 may be inserted into and secure four neighboring paver tiles 12. Again, screw 23 is inserted through aperture 22 into a standard pedestal (not shown in FIG. 6) and mortar or other similar construction material is used to secure plate 16 in cavities 14.

FIGS. 9C and 9D illustrate the possible arrangement of hold down portions 28 in adjoining locking plates 16. FIG. 9 C shows four locking plates, 16, 16′, 16″ and 16′″. Locking plates 16, 16′, 16″ and 16′″ have hold down portions 28, 28′, 28″ and 28′″, respectively. It will be observed that the lower surface of hold down portion 28 is flush with and continuous with the lower surface of the remainder of locking plate 16, and that the upper surface of hold down portion 28′″ is flush with and continuous with the upper surface of the remainder of locking plate 16′″. In fact, locking plates 16 and 16′″ are identical in construction, but are rotated 180 degrees from each other.

It will also be observed that the lower surface of hold down portion 28′ of locking plate 16′ is offset from the lower surface of the remainder of locking plate 16′ by approximately the thickness of hold down portion 28′. The upper surface of hold down portion 28′ is offset from the upper surface of the remainder of locking plate 16′ by approximately twice the thickness of hold down portion 28′. Similarly, the upper surface of hold down portion 28″ of locking plate 16″ is offset from the upper surface of the remainder of locking plate 16″ by approximately the thickness of hold down portion 28″ and the lower surface of hold down portion 28″ is offset from the lower surface of the remainder of locking plate 16″ by approximately twice the thickness of hold down portion 28″. As with locking plates 16 and 16′″, locking plates 16′ and 16″ are identical in construction but are rotated 180 degrees from each other. In this manner, four different positions of hold down portions 28, 28′, 28″, and 28′″ may be accommodated by just two different configurations of locking plate 16/16′.

As illustrated in FIG. 9D, the arrangement described above allows hold down portions 28, 28′, 28″, and 28′″ to be arranged in a stack, one on top of another. This allows locking plates 16, 16′, 16″ and 16′″ to be secured together with a single screw or bolt through apertures 28, 28′, 28″ and 28′″. It should also be understood that the offset arrangement of hold down portions 28-28′″ may be utilized in other embodiments where a plurality of locking plates or pins 16 are secured by a single bolt or screw 23, such as the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 8A and 8B, for example.

It is also envisioned that the system described above may be used as a base for a decorative top layer. For example, a layer of decorative stone 40 may be adhered to the top surface of tile pavers, as illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 9B. In one example, decorative stone layer 40 may be ⅜ inches thick or any other thickness used in the construction industry.

In addition or in the alternative, such as in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, cavity 14 may be open to a top surface 15 of paver 12. In use, cavity 14 may be located in the corners of four adjoining paver tiles 12 such that the combined cavities form a cutout area into which locking plate 16 can fit. A cementitious material such as thin set mortar is placed in cavity 14, locking plate or pin 16 is secured in an underlying pedestal by screw 23, and an additional layer of cementitious material is placed over plate 16. Cap 38 is then placed in the cutout area formed by the combined cavities 14 containing the cement. Once the cement cures, the locking plate becomes an integral part of the pavers. While the example shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B features a round cap, other geometries are also possible according to design and esthetic demands.

As one of skill in the art will recognize, like materials may be substituted for those described above. For example, while the paver stones are described as being terrazzo or stone, it is envisioned that he paver tiles may also be made of any material having a similar density such as brick, concrete, marble, ceramic, shell stone, granite, travertine, quartzite, coral stone, textured concrete, terrazzo, limestone and porcelain. Likewise, locking plate or pin 16 is described as being made of metal, such as stainless steel, but other metals and even non-metal materials are also envisioned as being suitable, including thermoset or thermoplastic materials such as polypropylene, provided that such materials possess the requisite strength for a given application.

Based upon the foregoing disclosure, it should now be apparent that that the present invention is highly effective in providing an alternative system and method for securing paver tiles in a wind-resistant manner. It is, therefore, to be understood that any variations evident fall within the scope of the claimed invention and thus, the selection of specific component elements can be determined without departing from the spirit of the invention herein disclosed and described. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A secured paver tile system, the system comprising: One or more paver tiles, the paver tiles having one or more cavities therein, One or more locking plates or pins, wherein the locking plate or pin comprises a first aperture adapted to receive a screw or bolt, One or more pedestals for placement under the one or more paver tiles, wherein the pedestal is adapted to receive said screw or bolt and wherein said cavity is adapted to receive said locking plate or pin.
 2. The secured paver tile system of claim 1, wherein the one or more locking plates or pins are one or more pins.
 3. The secured paver tile system of claim 2, wherein the one or more pins have a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the proximal end has a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the distal end.
 4. The secured paver tile system of claim 3, wherein the one or more pins are adapted to be inserted into the one or more cavities, and wherein the distal end is inserted into the one or more cavities further than the proximal end.
 5. The secured paver tile system of claim 3, wherein the aperture is adjacent to the proximal end.
 6. The secured paver tile system of claim 1, wherein the one or more locking plates or pins are one or more plates having two or more arms.
 7. The secured paver tile system of claim 5, wherein the one or more plates have at least 3 arms.
 8. The secured paver tile system of claim 7, wherein the one or more plates have at least 4 arms.
 9. The secured paver tile system of claim 1, wherein the one or more locking plates or pins additionally comprise at least one second aperture located in the distal end or proximal end.
 10. A method of securing paver tiles, the method comprising the steps of: Providing one or more pavers, wherein the one or more pavers have at least one cavity therein, Providing one or more locking plates or pins, wherein the one or more locking plates or pins are adapted to be received in said cavities and being further adapted to receive a bolt or screw, Providing one or more pedestals, adapted to provide a base for the one or more pavers, Providing a screw or bolt adapted to be received by the one or more locking plates or pins, Inserting said one or more locking plates or pins in said at least one cavity, Inserting said bolt or screw in the one or more locking plates, Inserting said bolt or screw into said pedestal.
 11. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising inserting adhesive material into said at least one cavity.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the adhesive material is thin set mortar.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more locking plates or pins are one or more pins.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more pins have a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the proximal end has at least one dimension that is greater than a corresponding dimension of the distal end.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more locking plates or pins are one or more plates having two or more arms.
 16. A method of claim 15, wherein the one or more plates have at least 3 arms.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more plates have at least 4 arms.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein said one or more locking plates or pins additionally comprise secondary apertures adapted to engage said adhesive material. 